The Suns of Gallifrey
by SumOfAllThings
Summary: It should have been a simple encounter. He had been summoned to fix what the Time Lord's had destroyed. He was the Doctor, it was his job to fix things. Wasn't it? Tenth Doctor/Master, Tenth Doctor/Jack Harkness


The sudden hush and almost immediate wave of shocked whispering that followed was almost enough to make the Doctor turn on his heels and go back the way he came. It had been a very long time since he had entered the citadel and after his last disastrous encounter it was not an experience he was even remotely keen to repeat.

He forced himself to keep going, head held high and expression carefully neutral. He had a fierce grip on his mind, raising his shields high enough to keep his thoughts firmly in-check. It wouldn't do for somebody to hear half of the things his mind conjured up when he was forced to encounter the frankly ridiculous pomp and arrogance of the Time Lords. He didn't fancy any further reprimands if he could avoid it.

"Doctor" A deep booming voice called out a moment before the Doctor felt a heavy slap against his back. He stumbled a bit but managed to right himself with a forced smile on his face as he looked up at one of his oldest friends. "It's been an age. How have you been?" Corsair asked. For the briefest of moments his eyes rested on the thin metal collar circling the Doctor's throat before his gaze settled on the other Time Lords face.

"Hello Corsair." The Doctor said, infusing a great deal of enthusiasm that he most definitely didn't feel into his tone. He was happy to see his friend and it was comforting to have someone to focus on instead of having to pretend the entire citadel wasn't staring at him, but it was difficult to feel anything but dread at what he was about to encounter. "I'm splendid, thank you. You?"

"You're splendid?" Corsair asked, affecting a knowing expression. "It's going well then? Your work?"

"Oh yes, excellent stuff. Wonderfully exciting."

"Is that why you're here?" The Corsair asked as he casually threw his arm over the Doctor's shoulders and steered him forward.

It was the first time anyone had touched the Doctor in even a remotely affectionate way in such a terribly long time that he couldn't help but melt into the Time Lord's hold. "Yes, they wanted my advice on a few issues they're experiencing. Apparently the -" He broke off, almost unable to finish the sentence. "The slaves are not adapting."

"So I hear. You have a theory I take it?"

"I have several." He said and realised a moment later that his tone was too dark, too accusing. "It's no surprise though, not really." He said, much more brightly. "They're only apes, aren't they? Hardly the most durable of species."

"Just apes hey? So you've no interest in their health?"

"Beyond how it affects their usefulness to serve? No, of course not."

The arm around his shoulders squeezed once before disappearing. "They've finally managed it then." He said, more of a statement than a question.

The Doctor felt something cold in the pit of his stomach. "Managed what?"

"They've finally managed to stop you from saying everything that pops into your head. Subtlety was never your forte Doctor."

"Perhaps I don't feel like being even more restricted." The Doctor hissed, his patience worn thin. "Or perhaps I've finally started to see reason. Maybe I'm starting to think like everyone else."

"Or maybe you're just trying to convince everyone that you've finally learnt your lesson. The renegade Doctor, brought to heel at last." He smiled darkly and leaned forward until his lips were pressed against the Doctor's ear. "I don't believe it for a moment, old friend."

He straightened up, slapping the doctor on the back again before he disappeared down a side corridor. The Doctor watched him leave with a sad smile before he made himself straighten up. He had already delayed enough. It was time to face the citadel.

Two guards were stood on either side of the citadel entrance, their expressions darkening as they stared quite openly at the collar around the Doctor's neck. "Are you expected my lord?" The elder of the two asked, his tone respectful but stern.

"Yes, by invitation of the Other." The Doctor said, looking bright and pleasant. Pretending that he didn't care that the younger guard was still gawking at his throat.

The guard checked the communication device on his wrist, typing in data before before abruptly stepping aside. "Please continue my lord."

The door was clear. He was already late. He should move.

"My lord." The guard said, staring at him slightly aghast. "You may pass."

"Yes!" The Doctor said, a little too enthusiastically. He grinned at the guard. "Yes, of course. Off I go." Except he wasn't moving. People were staring at him now. He could feel their eyes, hear their heated whispers. Why wasn't he moving?

He startled when a hand gripped his arm, tightening to the point of pain. "Enough loitering Doctor. You're making the guards nervous."

His shields were so high he'd managed to practically blind himself. Otherwise he never, ever would have allowed the Master to get close enough to touch him. And now, unless he wanted to cause a scene by struggling there was nothing he could do to shake off the Masters hold.

He allowed himself to be pulled forward, through the doors and into the main hall. His feet felt like lead. His legs were shaking. The urge to run away was almost impossible to ignore. "Courage Doctor." The master muttered, leading him to the centre stage before releasing his hold and stepping away. He sounded faintly delighted.

"You're late Doctor." Rassilon accused the moment the council had quietened down and all eyes were fixed on him. Their founder wasn't even trying to disguise his distaste and, had the Doctor been inclined to lower his shields, he was fairly certain that Rassilon would have been telepathically projecting his hostility and annoyance. "When you are summoned you are expected to come immediately. Not appear when it suits you."

"Please forgive me my lord." The Doctor said and he was immensely pleased with himself when his voice didn't shake. "It won't happen again."

"You're right, it won't." He answered in an unforgiving tone. "Because next time you're summoned you will receive an escort. Understood?"

The Doctor bowed his head, half convinced the collar around his neck was tightening by the moment. It took him a moment but he eventually found his voice. "Of course."

"Your findings Doctor." Omega demanded, leaning forward intently as he peered at the Doctor through the eye slits of his mask. "What can be done?"

Fifty years, the Doctor suddenly realised with a painful start. Fifty years had passed since he was last in the citadel, since he had been named renegade. Fifty years since his freedom and dignity was stripped away.

"Your findings Doctor?" The Other boomed, startling the Doctor so badly that he jumped in shock."What can be done about the slaves?"

"A great deal." The Doctor said, rocking back on his heels and moving his hands needed to keep moving. If he kept moving maybe he wouldn't freeze up again. "Their diet needs to be altered. I've collated a list of their nutritional requirements, along with a schedule for volume and frequency. It varies depending on age and gender. Dehydration is also a major issue. The people I diagnosed-"

"The people Doctor?" Rassilon interrupted scathingly with a condescending smirk. "Surely you mean slaves?"

"Yes, yes of course. The slaves." He floundered for a moment before he continued at an even faster pace. "The slaves I studied were all dangerously dehydrated. They need water regularly. Any variation on these requirements will have serious repercussions. And sleep - they need sleep every night and the time varies by age. The schedule must be adhered to."

"Is there anything else?" The Other asked, looking both curious and irritated. He had likely hoped the solution to fixing the humans would be a simple one.

"Yes, more! There is so much more. Their immune systems are perilously low and they can't survive in squalid conditions. They must be kept clean and regularly exercised. I've seen the pens they're being kept in and all it's going to do is spread disease. I found three variations of sickness from the few pe-" He stopped himself, shuddering slightly from the sharp look he received from Rassilon. "From the few slaves I studied. I've collaborated cures but the sickness will only spread and mutate if they aren't properly kept."

"Is that all?" Omega asked from behind him impervious mask.

The Doctor hesitated. He knew he should finish whilst he was ahead. He had provided the necessary information to keep them alive. Millions of people would survive now because of him. And yet -

"To ensure their mental well-being I recommend that all families should be allowed to remain together. Human's have active minds and should be kept occupied whenever possible. They already educate their children. I would suggest you continue to let them do so until the child reaches maturity. They -"

"Enough Doctor." The Other said, raising his hand sharply. "We have the information we require to keep them healthy. We will study your findings and liaise with you if we require any further -"

"They can be extraordinary if you let them." The Doctor blurted, desperately wishing he could pull back the words the moment they burst tratriously from his lips. Too late now, he thought with a sudden feeling of dread. "They're capable of so much good -"

"Here he is." Rassilon interrupted, looking truly and frighteningly angry. "The sanctimonious, bleeding heart Doctor. Tell me my lord, has the last fifty years in bondage done nothing to curb your incessant need to be different? Has it done nothing to show you the error of your ways?"

What was wrong with him. For the love of everything good and holy in the universe why couldn't he just-shut-up? "No amount of imprisonment is going to make me forget, even for an instant, that we are destroying the lives of a sentient race of beings. What we are doing is wrong."

"And what right have you to judge?" Rassilon roared, standing to his full and impressive height. His dark eyes bored into the Doctor's. Pinning him to the spot with a knowledge that accompanied thousands of years of life. "Who are you to judge what is right or wrong? The apes were destroying themselves and their saved them -"

"We have condemned them." The Doctor roared back in utter and total fury. "If you could see what we have done to them. If you could feel their pain you would not-"

"You wish to speak of pain Doctor?" Rassilon said, his voice quiet and calm and so much more terrifying because of it. "Very well. Your sentence was five hundred years was it not?"

"No," The Doctor breathed, deflating as all of his earlier fear and terror came hurtling back. "Please, my lord -"

"Oh, so it's back to formalities now is it Doctor? Well it's too late for that. You're still as pious as ever. You're still as rebellious as ever."

"I'm sorry." The Doctor gasped, the words catching in his throat and coming out in barely more than a whisper. "I spoke out of turn but I'm not rebelling. I've done everything you've commanded. I've obeyed."

"You call this obeying?" Rassilon hissed. "You can pretend all you like Doctor but I see the truth within your eyes. You will never obey. Not truly." His gaze roamed slowly up and down the Doctor's face before resting on the thin silver collar. "One thousand years."

The Doctor's legs collapsed beneath him. It took him a moment to realise that his respiratory bypass system had kicked in due to the fact that he didn't seem to be able to catch his breath. He shook his head. A silent denial.

"It is perhaps too harsh a punishment." Omega said, speaking softly but instantly commanding the attention of the room. "It is true that the Doctor is foolish and sentimental and he does not know when to shut up, but he has also obeyed without question since he was grounded. For his stupidity might not another punishment be more suitable?"

"What do you suggest then?" Rassilon asked, and by the stars he actually looked interested.

"Leave us Doctor." The Other commanded. When the Doctor just say blinking up at him the Other sighed. "Now Doctor. You will be informed of your punishment in due course. Now go."

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The Doctor got unsteadily to his feet. He nearly begged. He almost screamed. But by the grace of some higher power he managed to take himself out of the room without causing any further damage.

"Come then Omega, speak your mind. You think me too harsh. What would you suggest we do to curb the Doctor's stupidity?"

"He is certainly a foolish and eccentric young man, but do not make the mistake of thinking him stupid, Rassilon." Omega stilled, deep in thought. "He is a keenly intelligent being with a breathtaking degree of curiosity. He possesses the potential to be one of the greatest among us. Yet you intend to quash his spirit entirely. Why?"

"For precisely the reasons you claim. He is an extraordinarily intelligent man but also a deeply deceiving and misguided one. You realise we discovered that he purposely failed his exams at the academy to hide his intellect? He claims he wished to avoid attention. To be free." Rassilon released a mocking snort. "The Doctor does not think as a Time Lord should. His thoughts and beliefs are dangerous to our way of life. He needs to be controlled."

"I do not disagree with you." Omega said softly. "But if we try to keep him here, trapped under the heels of our boots he will either eventually wither away, wasting all of that potential brilliance, or he will believe he has nothing to lose he will rebel. Either outcome will result in disaster."

"I have a solution." The Other said, sounding almost pained. It was no secrete that the Doctor was one of the Other's favourites and that he had tried to protect him in the past. "Give him the anomaly. Make the Doctor its keeper."

"Are you mad?" Omega snapped. "Never mind that just being near it is painful for short amounts of time but the anomaly is dangerous. The Doctor will be in constant danger if he is forced to take ownership."

"The Doctor is a Time Lord. He is capable of handling a human, even one as twisted and wrong as the anomoly." Rassilon said as a thousand possibilities started to unfurl in his mind. It was such a wonderfully appropriate punishment. The monstrosity would be given a keeper who could not abandon him, no matter how painful his presence might be. And the Doctor would have to live day to day with one of the creatures he so adamantly defended, even though the experience would cause him constant pain. It was perfect.

"He will not accept him." Omega said. "The Doctor refuses to own a slave. You know this."

"He will when we tell him what the alternative is." Rassilon said.

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"No." The Doctor said, not even attempting politeness as he closed the door in the slaver's face. He ignored the subsequent notifications he received from the summit demanding he collect his property. He didn't care if they grounded him for another five thousand years. He wouldn't do it.

It was much later that he heard heavy pounding at his door. He was dozing in his chair, exhausted after surviving three days on little more than adrenaline. He barely had time to flinch before the door caved in on itself and the Master stood grinning down at him with a sonic device clenched tightly in his fist.

"What?" The Doctor sputtered, springing to his feet and back-paddling until his back came up against a wall. He couldn't comprehend that the Master had actually broken into his home. He may have been named a renegade but he was still a Time Lord damn it. Didn't he warrant the right to at least decide who could or couldn't enter his home. "What?"

"You've been ignoring the high council Doctor." The Master said, grinning. He looked around the Doctor's home and his expression became hungry as he ingested a million little facts that only he would be able to use as a weapon.

"What?"

"You're not allowed to ignore the great Lords and Ladies of the high council. When you do they become agitated."

"Why did they send you?" The Doctor asked, finding his voice at last as he tried to calm his hearts, which were doing an admirable job of trying to escape his chest.

"Because I volunteered of course." He stepped forward, quickly closing the distance between them until less than a hand's width of space separated them.. He reached out a surprisingly gentle hand and cupped the Doctor's cheek. "You've been naughty Doctor. Speaking out of turn again. Won't you ever learn?"

"I was doing what they asked me to." The Doctor said, turning his face away from the unwelcome touch. "The humans are dying. What I suggested will mean their continued survival."

"You went too far. You always go too far." He leaned in even closer, until his lips brushed against the Doctor's cheek. "You are a renegade Doctor, dependant on the goodwill of the council to live. Rebelling in any way is just incredibly stupid."

"I won't take a slave." The Doctor said, a little raggedly. He knew only too well what the alternative was. "I can't."

"Ah, because of your high morals?" The Master's grip became too tight. "Will it soothe your tortured soul if I told you what they intend to do with the slave if you refuse to take it?"

"What do you mean?" The Doctor demanded, facing him as he gripped the Master's wrist. "What will they do?"

"They're going to bury it Doctor. Put it in a coffin underground and leave it there for an eternity." The Master's smile became almost reverent. "Can you imagine a greater torture?"

The Doctor thought he might be sick. "They would kill a living being in such a hideous way just to force my hand?"

"Oh no Doctor. Not kill. Not this one. Ah, but clearly you haven't heard." The Master threw his head back and laughed before his hand snapped around the Doctor's neck. Not choking him, not yet. "They plan to give you the freak."

The Doctor recoiled. He couldn't help himself. He shook his head. "No, no I can't. He isn't right."

"Surely the great and pious Doctor doesn't truly mean that?" The Master asked mockingly. "The freak is a human, no matter how wrong it is. Doesn't that mean it falls under your sphere of protection?"

"I can't." The Doctor said and he hated that he sounded almost like he was begging. "I can't be around him. Just looking at him hurts."

"Alright." The Master said as he shook off the Doctor's hold and stepped back. "I'll inform the council that you refuse. Instead your sentence will be extended for another five hundred years and the freak will be put underground to live for the rest of eternity in a little concrete box. And all because you don't want to be uncomfortable."

"Why bury him?" The Doctor asked breathlessly, unable to help himself. "What did he do?"

"It is a nuisance Doctor. A nuisance that shouldn't even be in existence. What not rid themselves of it?"

"Because it's torture." The Doctor snarled, almost shouting. "A vile, foul torture that will never ever end. Nothing in existence deserves such a fate."

"Then will you change your mind?" The Master asked, stepping quickly towards him again. "Will you bow down to the council's demands?"

"To stop unimaginable torture?" The Doctor whispered, feeling his already unsteady world begin to shift and shake beneath him. "How can I refuse?"

The anomalies presence hit his defences with the strength of a sledgehammer, smashing through his carefully constructed barriers and shredding through his shields like paper. The sense of wrong assailed his senses, urging him to run away. To escape.

And he hadn't even entered the room yet. The Doctor stood immobile as the knocking on the door steadily grew louder. He wondered idly if the Master was going to break it down again. Replacing the door last time had been a complete nuisance.

 _I promise I won't break down your door Doctor._ The Master said, amused as he telepathically pushed the words through the cracks in the Doctor's defences. _But if you don't open the door immediately I'll take it away and tell the council you changed your mind. You have five seconds to decide._

 _How can you stand it?_ The Doctor pushed back, genuinely curious. _He's wrong._

 _Two seconds Doctor._

It was a true testament to his acting skills that he managed to pull the door open with a big, wide open smile. He met the Masters mocking expression with aggressive friendliness.

"Took you long enough." The Master groused, brushing past the Doctor and entering the room like he owned the place.

"Oh, were you waiting long? I'm afraid I didn't hear." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his leisure trousers and rocked back on the balls of his feet. He knew he wasn't fooling his old friend but the guards didn't need to know that he was about to jump out of skin with nerves.

He followed the Master into the main room, very purposefully ignoring the loud scuffling noise behind him.

The Master took one look at his face before his lips widened in a huge grin. _It's been an age since your mind was this open._ He sent, almost but not-quite projecting a sense of yearning. _The freak has an uncanny ability of shattering the strongest of shields. A useful skill to possess, don't you think?_ He spun around in a flourish, grabbing the Doctor by the waist and pulling him in a direction the Doctor most definitely did not want to go in. "Are you ready to meet your new slave Doctor?" The Master asked, pulling him even closer when he felt the Doctor flinch.

It was an effort just to look at him but the Doctor forced himself to meet a pair of very blue and very, very angry eyes. The human, once you got past the resounding waves of wrong, was actually quite pleasant looking. Relatively young, with thick brown hair and a slightly tanned complexion. He was as tall as the Doctor but thicker through the shoulders and arms. Currently there was a gag shoved in his mouth, stopping him from letting fly the clear barrage of choice curses he was letting lose. The majority of which seemed aimed at the Doctors personage.

"Why is he gagged?" The Doctor asked, more curious than nervous.

"He wouldn't shut up." The Master reached out and slapped the human hard across the face, knocking the man's head to the side with a resounding crack. "He never shuts up."

"Was that really necessary?" The Doctor muttered as he watched shockingly red blood drip down the human's chin and drip onto his floor. The human was now glaring at both of them.

"I think so, yes." The Master said brightly. He gestured at the human's shackled wrists. "These can be controlled with this." The Master pulled a small silver ring and pulled it onto the Doctor's finger. "Just think Stop and the bracelets will activate. Fair warning, he requires quite a bit of force before he does stop so try not to be too gentle with him."

"Do you have the key for the bracelets?" The Doctor asked, only barely resisting the urge to pull the repulsive thing off his finger and throwing it out of the nearest shaft.

"I think we both know that giving you the key would be incredibly stupid." The Master gripped his shoulder to the point of pain, his expression harsh. _I'm warning you. It's dangerous. For once don't play the part of the bleeding hearted fool and protect yourself. Keep it in the shackles and use the ring when you need to._

 _Concerned for me Master_? The Doctor asked, only slightly mocking. _Careful, someone might think you care._

The Masters expression turned thunderous. He pushed the Doctor away with a harsh shove, sending the taller Lord stumbling back. The Doctor could feel the guards shocked gazes. He might have been a renegade but Time Lords did not shove one another, especially not in front of normal citizens.

The human looked even more dumbfounded than the guards. He had stopped his muffled shouting and stood staring openly at the Doctor. When the Master clicked his fingers in their direction and they released their hold the human continued to stare.

"Off already then?" The Doctor asked cheerily, ignoring the murderous glare the Master threw in his direction. "Right, wonderful." He watched the Master storm out, the guards trailing after him. The door closed with a solid thump. "Well - " He started but he didn't manage to say much more before a very solid weight knocked him clean off his feet. He landed on his back with a pained grunt, flinching violently when he realised the anomalies face was barely a hand's width away from his own.

"Scream and I'll crush your windpipe." The human warned as he pressed the chain between his manacled wrists against the Doctor's throat and pressed down warningly. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the Doctor." The Doctor said softly, swallowing against the tight hold. He shifted experimentally and the grip tightened painfully for a brief moment. "And you are?" He croaked.

"You want to know my name?" The human scoffed and suddenly all of the light seemed to drain from his eyes. "How about freak, monster, corruption, wrong?" He pressed down hard and the Doctor instinctively grabbed the human's wrist to try and break his hold. "Don't fucking move." he roared, furious. "If you move I will kill you."

"I won't move." The Doctor said, trying to sound soothing without being patronizing. He very carefully laid his hands flat on the floor. "I'm not fighting you. You're in control." He swallowed again before briefly closing his eyes. "What's your name?"

"Why do you care?" He asked and he sounded more confused than angry.

"Because I like to at least know the names of the people who strangle me." The Doctor said, quite seriously.

For a moment they just stared at one another until, strangely the human released a broken and brittle pearl of laughter. "Jack." He said, smiling slightly. "My name is Jack." He stood up, keeping a firm hold on the Doctor's shirtfront as he dragged the Time Lord with him. "I don't get it." He said at last, when they were both standing up. "Why would they leave me here alone with you? You are a Time Lord." His eyes flicked up and down the length of the Doctor, taking in his plain clothing and disheveled hair. "Aren't you?"

"Oh yes, very much so." The Doctor answered, tensing slightly when Jack's expression hardened into something that was quite terrifying. "You've had something of a bad experience with us so far I imagine." He wilted slightly under Jack's gaze. "For what it's worth, and I realise it's probably very little, I am truly sorry for how you've been treated. For how all of your people have been treated."

"Oh yeah, so you're a nice slave owner are you Doc?" He asked as he grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled off the ring the master had placed there. "This thing on the fritz or something?"

"No." The Doctor said, both very happy to be rid of the vile contraception and suddenly aware of just how vulnerable he had made himself. "It works perfectly fine."

Jack placed the ring in the pocket of his slave tunic. He looked around the Doctor's home. "Bit quaint for the home of a Time Lord isn't it?" He asked.

The Doctor grinned so wide his cheeks hurt. "A renegade Time Lord, disowned by my clan. Believe me, this is actually quite luxurious compared to the lodgings some of my fellows proposed I be put in."

Jack's eyes flickered to the collar around the Doctor's throat and sudden understanding bloomed. "You're him." He breathed, releasing the Doctor and stepping back as though burned. "The one that tried to save us? You're him?

"I'm just me Jack." The Doctor said, and he sounded tired to his own ears. He plopped himself into his favourite chair, turning his back fully on Jack even though the gesture made his shoulderblades itch. "And this is your new home. Welcome. Show yourself around. Help yourself to any refreshments. Mi casa es su casa. Be a dear and try not to kill me."

He heard Jack sit down, heavily. He risked a look in the human's direction and saw that he had his head in his hands and his shoulders were shaking.

"I can remove the chains for you if you like?" The Doctor asked, moving slowly to the human's side and dropping onto his haunches next to him. "Perhaps then you might like something to eat?" The Doctor could see that his face was a little too gaunt to be considered healthy, although he was better fed than some of the other slaves the Doctor had come across recently. "And then maybe a shower?" He added, trying not to wrinkle his nose at the human's musty scent.

The last remark finally garnered Jack's attention. He looked back at the Doctor with a brilliant grin. "Doctor, are you telling me you think I stink?"

Despite the very wretched situation the Doctor felt a genuine smile of amusement bloom on his face. "No, I'm telling you that you do stink. But only a little. Besides, a shower might be nice, eh? And then we can look at sorting you out something to wear?" He stood up as Jack got slowly to his feet, sending out soothing tendrils of calm at the human. "I'm sure I have something that will fit until we can go out and buy you some new clothes." The Doctor continued, forcing himself not to hesitate as he reached out and removed the chains that connected Jack's manacles. Their skin touched and the Doctor gritted his teeth against the wrongness of it. "Unless you would prefer not to wear my clothes?"

"Doc, I couldn't give any less of a shit if I tried." He stretched his hands above his head when the Doctor removed the manacles, yawning loudly. His eyes settled thoughtfully on the Time Lord. "Kinda dangerous isn't it. Leaving us alone together. I could do anything to you."

"You certainly could." The Doctor agreed cheerily, trying to ignore the very strong urge to slowly back away. "Wouldn't turn out very well for you if you did though."

"Maybe I think hurting one of you for a change would be worth any punishment they could think up."

"Out for a bit of revenge are you?" The Doctor asked, shrugging even as his entire body tensed for flight. "I suppose I can understand the attraction. Here I am, one little Time Lord, no guards, no weapons –" He raised his arms, palms in the air. "I'm certainly an easy target Jack."

"Don't temp me." the human muttered darkly as his hands balled into fists. " You know, I'm probably one of the only human's still alive that remembers you Doctor. The promises you told and the hope you offered. And yet here I am, your slave. I should have know that you'd end up being just as bad as the rest of them."

"I'm sorry." The Doctor said softly, forcing himself to meet the hatred he could see in Jack's eyes."I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you, for them. I tried, I truly did. But they -"

"Don't." Jack snapped, furious. "Just don't."

The Doctor allowed the stony silence to linger for a few seconds before he plastered on a smile he very much didn't feel. "Right then Jack, let's get some food into you, yes?" He reached out without thinking, gripping the human's hand and pulling him to the kitchen. He was frankly amazed that Jack allowed the contact and felt a swell of pleasure in the simple act of actually touching someone. He proceeded to show Jack where he kept everything, urging him to help himself whenever he was thirsty or hungry.

"You might want to take it easy." The Doctor advised as he watched Jack valiantly try to inhale his entire pantry. "You don't want to get sick."

"I'll be fine Doc." The human scoffed.

The Doctor felt his eye twitch at the nickname but managed to bite his tongue. After Jack was finished eating the Doctor gave him a thorough although admittedly short tour of his quarters.

"You've only got one bed." Jack remarked when they visited the last room, the Doctor's bedroom.

"There was never much need for another." The Doctor admitted with a shrug. "You can sleep here until I arrange to have another brought in." He really didn't sleep that often and it made sense for Jack to take the bed when he needed regular and long periods of sleep to remain healthy. Unfortunately he hadn't accounted for the human's lewder thoughts. He saw Jack's eyebrows rise as a large grin appeared on his face. The Doctor was a little slow on the update but then he felt a slight blush tinge his cheeks. "None of that." He said firmly.

"Don't be shy." Jack said as his eyes travelled the length of the Doctor. "I've got to admit, you're kind of pretty. Nice eyes, good hair. Bit on the skinny side though. I certainly wouldn't say no if you felt like a bit of a tumble."

Never mind that ribbons of wrong were still coming of Jack in waves. The Doctor would never take advantage of someone who now legally belonged to him, no matter how willing the other person was. "I don't." He answered, a bit colder than he intended. He forced another smile. "Do you want to shower now?"

The Doctor waited until Jack shut the bathing room door before he allowed his unsteady legs to finally buckle. He slid down the wall and pressed his head between his knees as he tried to just breathe. It didn't hurt. Not in the way he had first imagined, but being around Jack just made him terribly off kilter. A rational part of his mind reasoned that the small amount of time they had spent together had already made being in his presence a little easier, but he wasn't sure he would ever be able to completely come to terms with Jack's stillness. It unnerved him, going against every instinct he had as a Time Lord.

He sighed tiredly and made himself stand up. Nothing for it apart from trying to adapt. The Doctor went to his bedroom and sorted through his casual clothes until he found something that would hopefully be baggy enough that it would fit Jack's larger frame. He left the clothes on the side and then went back to the lounge. He stood there for a long moment before he folded himself in his favourite chair and urged himself to not think. He had never been very good at mediating. He found the inactivity difficult to maintain but he tried his damndest.

"What now?" Jack asked sometime later, startling the Doctor from his thoughts.

The clothes didn't fit, the Doctor noticed absently. They stretched across Jack's broad frame, straining the fabric taunt. The Doctor would need to go out and buy him something more suitable sooner rather than later if he wanted Jack to be comfortable.

"Well?" Jack asked expectantly.

"What do you mean?" The Doctor countered, confused.

"Well I'm here. I'm clean, fed. You've shown me around. Now what?"

The Doctor gestured to the seat next to him. He figured there was a chance that prolonging their interactions could make the sense ofwrong fade away quicker. "You can sit with me for a while. I don't have any books in your language I'm afraid but you can make use of anything in here to keep you entertained."

"Been awhile since anyone cared about keeping me entertained." Jack said, and that hard look was back in his eyes as settled down next to the Doctor. "Been awhile since anyone cared period." He sat down next to the Doctor and eventually he seemed to relax. The hard look left his face and was replaced with what looked like utter exhaustion. The Doctor wondered what had been done to Jack during his long enslavement. If his people had been willing to bury the man alive it stood to reason that they had done unspeakable things to the human. He almost asked him but bit his tongue before the first syllable could escape.

Did he really want to know.

"Are there any colours you prefer?" He asked instead, startling the human out of his almost not quite doze.

"Colour?" He asked, smiling softly as dimples peppered his cheeks. "Why?"

"For your clothes. Is there anything you would prefer? Any particular colours?"

Jack shook his head in quiet amazement. "When they said they were giving me to someone Doc you're certainly not what I was expecting." He laid his head back against the lounger with a soft sigh. "Get me whatever you like. I look good in anything."

"Pink with yellow dots it is." The Doctor decided, quite seriously.

Jack's one eye slitted open. "Within reason Doc."

In very little time at all Jack fell asleep. The Doctor considered waking him up and ushering him to the bedroom but the truth was, even with the pulsing wrong it was frankly and rather pathetically nice not to be alone for a change, Despite himself the Doctor felt his own eyes drift close and he fell into a deep and much needed sleep.

8888888888888888888888888888888888

The door bagged loudly, starling the Doctor and Jack from their sleep. They shared a dazed look before the Doctor got up and opened his front door. He was surprised and slightly alarmed to see the Master standing in front of him.

"You're unharmed I see." He noted. Did the Doctor detect a sense of relief? "You keep your shields so high it's impossible to tell if you're even alive half the time." He stepped into the room, brushing past the Doctor and making his way to the centre of the room. His eyes fell on Jack, still sprawled on the lounger before running over the Doctor's crumpled clothes and wild hair. "It's behaving, is it?"

"Jack's been perfectly wonderful." The Doctor said brightly. "A real pleasure."

"You've been spending too much time alone Doctor if you think this things company is pleasurable." The Master stepped too close to him, wrapping an arm around the Doctor's waist and pulling him close. "You've been hiding yourself away for too long. I'd forgotten -" He trailed off with a thoughtful expression. "Come to my home tonight. We'll share a meal." It was not a request.

The Doctor tried to gently untangle himself from the Masters hold but he didn't want to let go. "I can't." He said, feeling a pulse of unease at the fury that flashed briefly over the other lords face at the refusal. "Jack has only been here for a day -"

"Bring it with you. It can stay in the kennels with the others."

The Doctor couldn't quite hide his flinch. "Maybe another time. When he's settled."

"You can't hide away forever Doctor." The Master said as he pressed his nose in the junction between the Doctor's shoulder and neck. "The high council won't let you waste that wonderful brain of yours. The more you try to leave the more they'll drag you back. They own you, as much as you own your new pet monster." He pressed a gentle kiss against the Doctor's throat. "I've missed you." He said and though it should have sounded sweet the Master somehow made the words should like an accusation.

"Let me go." The Doctor said between gritted teeth. "Master, let -"

"They'd give you to me, if I asked." the Master interrupted, causing the Doctor's hearts to stutter. "Rassilon said as much when I indicated my interest. Your wife is dead, your house has disowned you. No one would fight my right."

"I would." The Doctor said, feeling something lodged in his throat. "They couldn't make me -"

"Please _Theta_." The Master scoffed as he tightened his hold. "After everything you've done you know as well as I do that they could do anything they wanted and no one would fight for you." He took a deep breath and pressed his forehead against the Doctor's, pushing to no avail against his shields. "Don't let it come to that. Join me for dinner. That's all I'm asking."

The Doctor felt a hand on the scruff of his shirt and was yanked back with such force that he almost tumbled to the floor. He regained his balance and felt his mouth drop open when he saw Jack standing between him and the Master, his fists raised. "He said no." He spat. "he doesn't want you."

The Master looked truly stunned for a short moment before an almost insane look passed over his eyes. He looked at the Doctor over Jack's shoulder, his eyes smouldering. "Punish it." He hissed.

Even if the Doctor wanted to, which he didn't, Jack had taken away the ring that controlled the cuffs. There really wasn't very much he could do. He glared back at the Master. "You should leave."

"That thing just manhandled you and spoke back to me." The Master seethed before sudden understanding seemed to dawn. "Oh, oh that is good. It's taken less than a day and you've already fallen under his thrall." He looked at Jack, seemingly for the first time. "You aren't the first dumb animal he's charmed, freak and you won't be the last. The Doctor is wonderfully talented in inspiring loyalty in lesser beings. I'm warning you though, the Doctor's pretty light might be enticing but it will burn you if you get too close."

"Looks like I'm not the one trying to get close." The human sneered. "Take the hint. The Doctor doesn't want you, so back off."

"Jack!" The Doctor shouted, not really wanting to scold the human but aware that some appearances did have to be kept. "Kneel, now."

The look of betrayed that passed over Jack's face when he turned back to him was painful to watch. For a moment the Doctor thought he might just refuse. If he did it would leave the Doctor in a very dangerous situation. If the Master reported back that he couldn't control his slave -

Jack fell to his knees, his eyes averted. Every inch of his posture screamed anger but he had done what the Doctor commanded. It was enough. "Get out." He said, moving his gaze from Jack to the Master. "And don't come back here unless you're willing to show some restraint."

"Will you force my hand Doctor?" The other lord asked, more curious than threatening.

"They have hurt me a thousand times over, but I am still a Time Lord." The Doctor raised his chin and met the Master's mocking gaze without flinching. "They can't give me away, not without my consent. Not if they wish to obey the law." He gestured to the door. "And I will not consent. Not to you. Not when you refuse to change."

"You think I'm the one that needs to change Doctor? You're the renegade. You're the one that doesn't know how to think like a true Time Lord."

"Get - out." The Doctor repeated firmly.

The Master performed a mocking bow before he left the room in a flourish, twirling in the doorway and shutting the door gently.


End file.
